Iron Fist - The Immortal Weapons
by capyle
Summary: A sequel to "Iron Fist: The Movie" and "Heroes For Hire: The Movie". When a strange visitor shows up at Daniel Rand's house, he learns there is more to having the Iron Fist than he realized. He is soon forced into an ancient tournament along with other warriors known as The Immortal Weapons. Secrets are uncovered, new enemies are made, and old foes return.
1. Chapter 1

_The voice of Lei Kung narrates, "For thousands of years, the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven have been separated from the rest of existence, only coming into contact with the Earthly realm once a cycle...¨_

_The abyss between worlds. A black void with scattered celestial bodies hinting at strange planes of existence beyond the darkness._

_¨... These kingdoms include the ancient city of Kún Lun, a nearly forgotten nation cursed by the dragon, Shou-Lao, The Undying... ¨_

_Kún Lun hangs in the void, an ancient relic of a long forgotten era of China._

_¨... K'un Zi, a city of dark magic..."_

_A black city of twisted architecture hangs behind it._

_"... The Island of Peng Lai..."_

_A tropical island hovers behind them._

_"... The Undercity, the kingdom of the lost... "_

_A dark city with seemingly empty streets and derelict buildings._

_"... The jungle nation of Z'Gambo..."_

_A jungle village._

_"... The Kingdom of Spiders and Tiger Island."_

_Two more cities fly past. They all swirl into the darkness, gradually moving in allignment until they merge together in a bright ball of light._

_"Once every 88 years, the kingdoms allign and the Heart of Heaven appears as each city occupies the same space and time."_

_The resulting city is massive and__ has elements from all the kingdoms with a large, circular arena in the middle._

_"The rulers of these kingdoms agreed to hold a tournament every cycle, with the winner having the chance to appear on the Earth once every decade while the rest can only appear every fifty years."_

_Inside the arena, thousands of people are gathered in the stands. Located around the inner-walls of the arena are large stone totems of a cobra, a crane, a wind-shaped totem, a wolf, a spider, and a tiger._

_"Each city has a champion. Together, they are known as the Immortal Weapons. There is the Cobra, the Crane, the Mist, the Wolf, the Spider, the Tiger..."_

_The last totem is of the dragon Shou-Lao._

_"... And the Dragon."_

_Two warriors stand in the arena. One is a man clad in black Chinese armor with a wolf nearby while the other is dressed like Daniel Rand, complete with the dragon tatoo in the center of his chest. They both stand ready, eyeing one another before leaping into battle, throwing a series of kicks and punches at one another while blocking and dodging every blow that comes to them._

_"The Immortal Weapons have always fought for the honor of their cities. It is the chance to have a planetary home, if only for a decade."_

_The Iron Fist finally manages to kick the warrior in the chest, dropping him on his back._

_"The City of K'un Lun has won every tournament for the past three cycles due to the power of the Iron Fist."_

_The man in armor rises and pulls the sword from his side. The Iron Fist summons a ball of chi around his hand and leaps into battle. As he strikes, the flash of energy grows bright, then dissolves._

_"There are few who can defend against it."_

_The city of K'un Lun appears in the mountains of China._

_"And because of this, K'un Lun has appeared once every decade for several generations. There may come a day, however, when it will no longer be victorious__."_

**Bangkok, Thailand**

A figure walks down a dark, rain-drenched alley. He steps into the light of a neon sign, showing a middle-aged man with greying temples, wearing a long coat. Over his shoulder is an old, beat-up satchel which he holds with one hand. He surveys the area as if expecting someone but it is surprisingly empty for one of the largest cities in Asia. Then again, it looks as if few people come to this part of the city. He moves along and as he does so, a strange green fog rolls behind him. It lowers itself to the ground and swirls back around, clearly following the man. As it gets closer, he stops in his tracks, obviously anticipating something, then turns swiftly to face a bald Asian man in green robes. They say nothing to erach other, but the middle-aged man seems to know he's in for a fight. He tosses the satchel off his shoulder to a nearby wall and takes a fighting stance. The bald man attacks, and the two trade punches and parries, both displaying kung-fu skill as they quickly attack, block, and counter one another, neither fighter gaining an immediate advantage until finally, the middle-aged man throws a punch, which passes straight through the bald man as he turns into a semi-humanoid cloud of green mist and floats to the side before solidifying. The Green Mist attacks next, throwing a single punch, his arm turning into green fog mid-swing; the middle-aged man is thrown off his feet and sent into the wall behind them. The Green Mist advances, floating to him in a green fog with enough force to crack the wall as the middle-aged man ducks and rolls away from him. A moment later, he snatches his bag from across the alley and darts into the street. The Green Mist flies into the air, swirls, and falls into a drop kick as he rematerializes; his opponent is sent into a pile of garbage on the sidewalk. The man leaps to his feet, reaches into his coat, and pulls out twin colt .45's.

He does not attack right away, however. Instead, he runs into another alley with his attacker stopping at the entrance once he sees the alley is blocked off by a brick wall. He closes his eyes and as he runs, one of his hands glows with amber chi energy and the light eventually reaches the gun in his hand. He continues ot sprint toward the wall ahead of him while the gun glows brighter in his hand and as he approaches the wall, he runs verticaly up the side, kicks off, spins around, and fires a single bullet. The bullet flies down the length of the alley and during its flight, it releases chi energy, turning it into a fireball of energy; the bullet explodes in a massive globe of heat. The Green Mist only has a moment to turn back into the green fog before the explosion reaches him. His pained face can briefly be seen in the cloud as it is blasted away, releasing the rest of the energy in a large explosion which blows out the other end of the alley along with smoke and debris. Soon, the middle-aged man emerges from the alley, his bag still slung over his shoulder. He holsters his guns, surveys the area, and quickly continues on his way. Several minutes later, a green fog trails out of the smoke and ruin and solidifies into the Green Mist who falls to his knees. He is stunned but otherwise unharmed as he rises to his feet defiantly, checks the area for any signs of his adversary, then disappears in a green cloud burst.

**IRON FIST: THE IMMORTAL WEAPONS**


	2. Chapter 2

**New York**

Hot soup is poured into a metal bowl. A reporter stands inside a small soup kitchen, facing a camera while a line of homeless or impoverished people stand in a line behind her. "David, I am standing in a recently opened soup kitchen in Brooklyn. Here, homeless people are receiving a free, hot meal, all thanks to one man. If you look behind me, you may notice a familiar face," the camera zooms in revealing Danny Rand dishing out bowls of soup alongside other volunteers, "That is Daniel Rand of Rand Corps. Continuing his humanitarian efforts, he has recently opened this soup kitchen tonight, making it the second time he has done so. You may remember Mr. Rand has inherited his parents' company following..." Daniel pours soup into a bowl and smiles at the man receiving it, "Enjoy." The man thanks him and moves along. Soon, a board member at Rand Corp comes up behind Danny and whispers, "Hey, this is great PR for the company, Danny. Why don't you pour out a few more bowls, say something nice for the cameras and you can call it a night." Danny turns to him with an annoyed look, "I'm staying at least until my shift is over. I'm here because I need to be, not to impress people."

The board member rolls his eyes, "Fine. Just promise me you'll at least go home in the limo tonight and not take a stroll through the neighborhood like last time."

"I'm interested in how these people live. I wanna see the area."

"You can see plenty of this area on the evening news. This is a rough neighborhood, Danny."

"I grew up in a rough neighborhood."

"Trust me, it was nothing like this one."

"Yeah, you're right..."

The board member smiles, pats him on the back, "See ya at the office, Danny," and leaves.

"... This place doesn't disappear every ten years," Danny continues under his breath.

A few hours later, Danny strolls down the sidewalk. The area is dirty with gang tags on the walls, litter on the street, and few people outside. He passes a man sitting on a stoop without a second glance and doesn't realize that the man continues to watch him. Once, Danny passes, he stands up and quickly follows him. Danny turns a corner and the man comes after him, producing a gun from his coat. "Hey," he shouts, finally getting Danny's attention, "Give me your wallet!". Danny notices the gun but his expression barely changes.

"Look, if you need anything, there's a soup kitchen -"

The man cuts him off, "I said gimmie your wallet!"

"We don't have to do this."

"Yeah, we do."

"Last warning."

"Man, gimmie your damn wallet!"

The man storms forward, gun still drawn. As he does so, Danny launches himself toward the man, grabbing him by the wrist. He twists as a single shot goes off to the side, then delivers an elbow to the man's face and he collapses in an unconscious heap at his feet. Once the threat is neutralized, Danny takes a look at the man's gun which is now in his hand. He checks the area to make sure no one is watching then raises the weapon and clenches his other fist. There is a glow between his fingers that gets brighter until his entire hand is emitting chi energy. Once he has summoned the Iron Fist, he strikes, hitting the gun and blasting it into pieces, then tosses what's left across the street and moves on.

A few minutes later, he is in the back of his limo. The driver turns around, "Ready to go, Mr. Rand?"

"Yeah, looks like it."

"It's a rough neighborhood."

"So I've heard. Listen, if anyone else at Rand Corps asks, I got into the limo right after my shift was over and went straight home."

"You got it."

The limo pulls out and they drive through New York; meanwhile, Danny calls a number on his phone. Elsewhere in the city, a lone figure sits in a parked car across from a hotel as a ringtone is heard. Inside, Misty Knight answers.

"Hey, Danny."

"Hey. Working late tonight?"

"Yeah, Colleen has us on a stake out tonight. Some dude cheating on his wife."

"Those are most of your cases, aren't they?," he jokes.

"Well, this is the world of private investigators. Not as exciting as living in other dimensions and getting powers from a dragon, I'm afraid."

"A dragon's heart, actually," he says with a laugh.

"Oh, excuse me."

"Anyway, I'll let you go before Colleen finds out you're on the phone during a stake out."

"Relax. She won't find out."

Just then, the sound of radio static cuts the conversation short. Perched on a nearby rooftop, Colleen Wing sits with a radio in one hand and a camera in the other, "Misty, are you there?". She jumps and snatches her walkie-talkie with her free hand, "Yeah. What's up?".

"You're not talking on the phone during a stake out are you?," she asks dryly.

"Uh,... No."

"Busted," Danny laughs.

"Goodnight, Danny," Colleen says with a smirk.

"Goodnight, ladies," he quickly hangs up.

"I need you alert, Misty," Colleen scolds her.

"I am. I'm down here, still waiting for our 'John Smith' to show up with his 'Jane'."

At that moment, a man walks up to the hotel, along with a beautiful blonde woman. Misty snaps to attention, "Oh, speak of the devil. There's John now." Misty casually gets out of the car and follows nonchalantly. Up on the roof, Colleen gets her camera ready, "Be sure they're going to their usual room." Inside the hotel, Misty can see ¨John¨ nodding to the clerk and being given a key almost immediately. "Looks like it," Misty says over radio. Colleen readies her camera and aims it at the hotel window across the way. There, she sees John entering the room with ¨Jane¨. She removes her overcoat, revealing a sexy red dress. Colleen starts snapping pictures as he removes his coat and tie and she closes the curtains.

Down below, Misty makes her way back to her car but a middle-aged woman rushes to her, "Did you catch him yet?".

"Mrs. Gregg, you're not supposed to be here," Misty tells her.

"I know but I just couldn't resist catching him in the act."

"That's what you paid us for. Now please, you have to leave before he spots you."

"I wanna see what she looks like."

Colleen overhears the argument over the walkie-talkie and quickly snatches the radio, "What's going on down there?"

"Um, Mrs. Gregg has decided to join us."

"Crap! She shouldn't be here!"

The woman makes her way past Misty and races toward the hotel, "It's room 312, right?". Misty persues her, "No! Mrs. Gregg, wait." On the roof, Colleen turns and heads for the fire escape, "I'll be right down there, Misty. Don't let her go up to his room." Inside the hotel, Misty runs up the stairs after her, "I think it might be a little late for that." She runs to the hotel room and starts hitting the door with her fists, "Come out of there, Phillip! I know you're in there!". Misty pulls the woman back and literally begins to drag her back to the stairs, "This is not a good idea, ma'am."

The John pokes his head out of his hotel room, "Lydia, what are you doing here?"

She yanks herself free from Misty, "So who's the blonde bimbo? I know she's in there with you."

"I'm not with anyone!"

The blonde woman pushes him aside and storms out of the room, still wearing the red dress, "Who are you calling a bimbo?"

He steps out of the room entirely, now wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts, "Shut up! What're you doing?"

"I knew it!," Mrs. Gregg shouts.

Misty tries to defuse the situation, "Mrs. Gregg, please... let's just go."

"Who the hell is that?," he asks.

"She's one of the private investigators I hired to prove you're cheating."

"Um,... hi," Misty says sheepishly.

"You've had people spying on me?," he asks angrily.

Colleen shows up at this point, camera in hand, "Oh,... This is bad."

"Hey, give me that camera," he races toward Colleen, but she tosses it in the air, forcing him to stop and watch as it flies to the ceiling, then she plants her foot against his chest and kicks him to the ground before catching the falling camera. The lady in red puts her hands up offensively and faces Misty, "You're not the only one who's taken self-defense." She throws a punch that is casually caught by Misty, "It ain't self-defense, honey," then she thrusts her palm in her face, rendering her unconscious. "I don't have to take this," the John picks himself off the ground and charges at Colleen again, only for her to take him out with a roundhouse kick. With both of them unconscious in the middle of the hall and various hotel customers poking their heads out their rooms curiously, Misty and Colleen back away slowly in embarrassment. "That was awesome!," Mrs. Gregg says cheerfully.


	3. Chapter 3

**K'un Lun**

The city is in the middle of a strange, cosmic void, hanging in the nothingness, a relic from another time, plucked out of ancient China and placed under a curse. K'un Lun's ruler, Lei Kung walks through the palace, followed by his advisors. The double doors ahead of him are opened and a monk rushes out to great him, bowing before telling him, "My lord, please come quickly." They enter the room, which contains a large golden globe built in slowly rotating sections. Each sections contains engravings of planets, stars, and other objects which resembles a star chart... if the stars were on another plane of existence. The room otherwise contains hundreds of charts, maps, and equasions littering the floors and shelves. The monk points to the globe, which slowly rotates, lining up small model cities engraved on the sides. Lei Kung says nothing as he studies them.

"It's time," the monk tells him, "The Seven Cities are aligning."

"We knew this day would come soon," Lei Kung explains, "The tournament will begin. The Immortal Weapons will be gathered."

"My king, if you will permit me to ask," one of his advisors begins, "Who will be the champion for K'un Lun?"

Lei Kung remains silent as he contemplates his answer.

**New York**

An airplane comes in for a landing at JFK International Airport. The man from Bangkok arrives in the terminal, still with a single bag over his shoulder. He checks the area for any signs of the Green Mist and continues on his way once he's satisfied. Later, he hails a cab silently. Once it stops, he gets in. "Where to?," the cab driver asks. "Nassau County," he tells him. "Where in Nassau?," the driver asks. "Just drive. I'll tell you when we're there," he says curtly and they drive away. Later, they are on the highway. The man sits quietly in the back, holding his bag carefully beside him and as he closes his eyes as if in deep meditation, a green flash passes by the cab's window. His eyes snap open and the driver shouts, "The hell was that?"

As if to answer that question, the Green Mist drops from above, landing on top of the cab. "Jesus!", the driver screams and jerks the wheel. "Pull over," the man in the back tells him, "He's only after me.". The driver swerves across the lanes, nearly hitting cars as they honk and stomp on their breaks. The cab squeals to a stop, throwing the Green Mist off the top where he turns into green fog and carefully lands on the side of the highway. The man in the back of the cab leaps out of the backseat and runs across the road with the Green Mist quickly following. He darts around, narrowly avoiding being hit by a car while his attacker turns into mist and flies right through a passing semi-truck. Tires squeal and a car slides toward the man as he darts into the farthest lane, stopping only inches away from him. He breathes a sigh of relief, only to have the car behind that one rear-end the first car, sending him rolling over its hood. He tumbles off to the side and rises in time to see the Green Mist dropping from above. He throws a punch, but its blocke and then blocks a kick in return. The Green Mist grabs him by the shirt and whips him around, briefly turning to fog to send him flying hard enough to rip his shirt open and send him into the side of the car. Green Mist tosses what's left of his shirt, then turns, noticing that all of the cars on the highway have now stopped with people getitng out to survey the crashed vehicles around them. A concerned expression crosses his face as he begins to notice the damage, then disappears. The man from Bangkok rises to his feet, his shirt now ripped open with the light revealing the Mark of Shou-Lao on his chest.

Danny's tattoo of the Mark of Shou-Lao is visible on his chest as he stands in the middle of his private dojo, wearing his K'un Lun garments with mask. He sits down with his legs crossed and a semi-circle of candles lit around him. He breathes in as he meditates and begins to remember the front gates of K'un Lun, his instruction of the martial arts, and the pumping heart of Shou-Lao in its shrine. Then comes the vision of Davos and his death via Iron Fist. He calmly breathes out and sees a quick flash of Lei Kung who whispers, "Daniel Rand-K'ai..." His eyes open and his concentration is broken as he sits in the darkness.

The next day, he has lunch at a cafe with Misty.

"I don't know how this meditation thing works," she tells him, "So I'm not sure what you mean by your chi being thrown off."

"Well, it's essentially my life force. Everyone has it but people like me -"

"Can use the Iron Fist attack."

"Well, as far as I know, I'm the only one with the Iron Fist. Chi energy can be used for different abilities, though, yeah."

"Anyway, keep going."

"So I'm meditating and I start thinking back to my days in K'un Lun and my battles with Davos. That wasn't too upsetting. That sort of thing happens but then I started getting weird visions of my old mentor Lei Kung. They weren't memories, though. I think he was trying to communicate with me all the way from K'un Lun."

"So what does this mean?"

"Not sure."

"So it could just be... I don't know, a hallucination or something."

"No, it was real. I just need to know what he wants to tell me. Find a way to reach him."

She sits back, "I really don't know what to say to all that."

"Me either, but I'm sure it's not going to make things any easier for me when I find out."

"What about the Iron Fist? You keep saying you're learning more about it and what it can do. Maybe this has something to do with that."

"Maybe. Who knows?"

"I'm sure you can figure it out. By the way, Colleen wants to spar tonight."

"Sure, that's fine. I have time."

"I'm not so excited about it. I had a long week."

"You don't have to come out."

"I do. If Colleen is practicing, I have to practice. I know I'll never be as good as you but I can at least try to get up to Colleen's level... someday anyway."

"It's not a competition."

"It is."

"It is?"

"Yeah."

"...Oh."

"You know I love you and I've been BFF with Colleen for a long time now, but sometimes I feel like I'm left out when you two get into all that kung-fu stuff. I mean, I can get by. I know how to fight, but the two of you take it to this whole other level. It's like you're a part of a different world and I want to be a part of that world."

"You know I love you too," he tells her as he holds her hand, "Who cares if you're not as good?"

She glares a bit, "Not the right thing to say."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"How did you mean it?"

"I... don't know."

She gets up and kisses him with a bittersweet smile, "I'll see you tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

Danny stands in his dojo, wearing his K'un Lun garment sans mask while facing Colleen and Misty who wear white uniforms with black belts. He takes a stance and they mimic him. "Remember to breathe," he tells them, "Try to sense your chi. Feel the rhythm of your body." The women close their eyes and concentrate as they breathe. "Your punch shouldn't just come from the strength of your arms but from your inner energy. Feel it flowing through you," he tells them before striking, "K'ai!". The ladies strike.

"So when do we check our Mediclorian count?," Misty asks.

"If you're going to make a Star Wars reference, at least make it the original trilogy," Danny mumbles, his eyes still closed.

"Can we get on with this?," Colleen asks tiredly.

"Sorry," Misty and Danny say in unison.

Before they can continue, however, the doorbell rings. "Great," Colleen grumbles as they relax their stances. "Expecting company?," Misty asks. "Not really," Danny places a shirt over his gi, hiding the dragon tattoo on his chest, "You guys can keep practicing. I'll see who it is." He walks back through his house and to the front door. When he opens it, he's greeted by the man from Bangkok who now has his jacket buttoned up over his torn shirt and his bag still slung over his shoulder.

"Can I help you?," Danny asks.

"You're Daniel Rand, right?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Orson Randall," he tells him and waits, as if expecting a response that never comes.

Danny gives him a blank stare.

"They never told you about me, did they?"

"Uh, no?"

"Figures... I have no easy way to tell you this,... so I'll just show you instead."

He opens his jacket, exposing the dragon tattoo on his chest. Danny's eyes widen but he quickly retains his composure, "I'm not sure what you want me to make of that."

"I know you recognize this symbol."

"Uh,… I think I saw some guy on the news with that same tattoo. Isn't he an Avenger or something?"

"Okay, let's try this another way," Orson rolls his eyes.

He clenches his fist and it suddenly ignites in chi energy. Danny stands in stunned silence as he gazes at the Iron Fist. Colleen and Misty soon join him at the front door and are likewise shocked when they see someone else using the technique. Orson opens his palm and the energy disappears in a shimmering cloud. "Now, do you think we can talk?," he asks.

A few moments later, Orson is sitting on Danny's couch with him sitting in the chair on the other side of the room. Colleen and Misty pace around behind them.

"As I said, my name is Orson Randall; I used to be an archeologist. Studied Oriental history. As you might have guessed, I've traveled to many places. Some of them were more remote than others."

"Like K'un Lun?," Danny asks.

Orson glances at Colleen and Misty, "Um,… Shouldn't we talk without them in the room?"

"Oh, don't worry. We know all about K'un Lun and all that dragon stuff," Misty tells him.

"You know they don't like it when you tell outsiders," Orson tells Danny, "I hope you haven't told anyone else."

"Um,… I'm kind of friends with Luke Cage," Danny says quietly, "I told him too."

Orson shakes his head, "Okay... So, I studied mythologies and legends of the East…"

_As he speaks, he remembers his past. He sits at a desk, a much younger man, and pours over several books laid out around him. He continues the story..._

_"I had heard of a mythical city called K__'un Lun. Some ancient scholars and a few explorers claimed to have seen the city appear and disappear throughout the centuries. It made me curious. There have been hundreds of legends about mystical cities but this particular one was a little more obscure, yet the few accounts I found were surprisingly consistent__…"_

_He finds several matching photographs and drawings of the same mountain range. At least one drawing has a crudely drawn city seemingly disappearing in mist. Another is a grainy old, black and white photograph of what appears to be the city in the distance._

_"… Even down to the same location.__"_

_The younger Orson comes across a star map in one of the books._

_"That__'s when I found the writings of an old Chinese astrologer who claimed to predict when the city would appear and disappear. Supposedly, it would be once every ten years and the anniversary was coming up.__"_

_The young Orson treks across the frozen Chinese wilderness._

_"I wanted to see what the stories were all about. I expected to uncover the legend.__"_

_Orson reaches the top of a mountain. He sees nothing at first but then the wind shifts._

_"I ended up finding the reality.__"_

_K__'un Lun appears through the mist and Orson stands in awe as it covers the mountain top._

_"K__'un Lun was real. Unfortunately, it was not too friendly.__"_

_Orson is brought into the throne room by guards and tossed onto the floor. The king rises to his feet and explains to his guards in Mandarin, __"He__'s an outsider. He can__'t know about our city. Execute him.__" Orson sits up and responds in the same language, __"Please, wait.__" This surprises everyone in the room and they fall silent._

_"Luckily, my Mandarin was good enough that they were willing to hear what I had to say.__"_

_As Orson explains himself, a small boy peaks out from behind the king._

_"The king had a son who was curious enough to convince his father to let me live. In exchange, I to teach the son about the modern outside world.__"_

_He sits with the young prince, teaching him the alphabet. He seems happy and writes the letters in his book._

_"I was more or less a prisoner but it beat getting executed. The kid liked me, though, and he was a quick learner.__"_

_"So how did you get the Iron Fist?," Colleen asks._

_Orson continues to explain. As a young man, he walks along the street and watches a group of K'un Lun warriors training and begins taking notes._

_"I was interested in the martial arts. The problem was, I wasn't too popular with most of the city. Especially not the trainers."_

_One of the instructor turns and shouts at Orson, "Hey outsider, if you're gonna stare at us like an idiot, you might as well step into the ring," then motions to the sparring circle._

_He shrugs, "Sure."_

_Soon, he faces a K__'un Lun warrior in a dojo. The warrior takes a fighting stance while he takes a Western boxing stance._

_"I started learning about their fighting abilities firsthand.__"_

_The instructor gives the order to fight and the warrior kicks Orson square in the chest and knocks him down._

_"I got my ass kicked.__"_

_Over the years, he gets into more and more fights and each time, he ends up on the ground._

_"… A lot.__"_

_He faces off against another warrior. The order is given to fight and Orson launches himself forward and kicks him to the ground._

_"But I got better.__"_

_The king watches and nods in approval._

_"The king respected the fact that an outsider was able to hold his own and I was given the unique chance to fight for the honor of the Iron Fist.__"_

_Orson and another fighter stand in the middle of the arena. They square off and begin to fig__ht. Several minutes later, his opponent drops to the floor in an unconscious heap while a bloodied and bruised Orson drops to his knees above him, victorious but exhausted._

_"I managed to win. My prize was the heart of Shaou-Lao.__"_

_Orson stands over the shrine holding the beating heart of the dragon, then places his hands into the shrine and screams as the tattoo is burned in his chest._

_"My ten years were up at that point and it was time to go back to the world.__"_

_Orson walks toward the front gates of K__'un Lun and takes one last look back. There, he sees the adult prince, his wife, and their baby._

_"The prince came to see me off, along with his wife and their new baby boy.__"_

In the present, Orson finishes his story, "The boy... would become the father of Lei Kung." Danny perks up, "Wait, what? If you knew Lei Kung's grandfather as a child, then that'd make you -."

"Really old," Orson tells him, "There's a lot you don't know about the Iron Fist. One of the perks is that aging slows down quite a bit," he brushes his slightly graying hair, "But not too much."

"When I came to the city, Lei Kung had been the king for some time," Danny tells him, "He told me that I was not the first Westerner to find the place. He knew English and so did his son, Davos."

"You have me to thank for that," Orson tells him.

"I'm surprised he never told me about you."

"It's a bit complicated. Chances are, everyone in K'un Lun probably believes I'm dead. When you have the Iron Fist, there's always someone out there trying to kill you, it seems."

"I've experienced that already."

"Get used to it."

"Have you been tracking Danny this whole time?," Misty asks.

"I've known there was another Iron Fist for a while but I didn't decide to come find him until recently."

"So why are you here?," Colleen asks.

"To let you know about the Tournament of the Immortal Weapons."

Before anyone can ask Orson to elaborate, several figures smash their way through the windows.


	5. Chapter 5

They stand in unison as the glass windows break and dark figures leap into the room. The front door is also kicked in and a few more rush inside. They all seem to be female and wear dark brown ninja-like uniforms. They surround the four and take battle stances as they hold daggers and swords menacingly. A closer inspection reveals yellow eyes and the skin around them is grey**.**

"Who are they?," Danny asks.

"The Daughters of Crane Mother," Orson tells him.

"All these chicks have the same mother?," Misty asks, "Must be a popular girl."

Danny turns to them, "Misty, Colleen, I need both of you to get to the dojo. We'll try to hold them off here."

"We got this!," Misty says defiantly.

"No, we don't," Colleen tells her and quickly pulls her away.

One of the Daughters growls viciously and lunges with her dagger ready. Danny grabs her by the forearm and flips her over his shoulders. Another advances but he spins in a hurricane kick, striking the Daughter twice, sending her into the wall. Orson ducks under a blade and rises, giving the Daughter a kick to the chin. Meanwhile, Colleen and Misty race down the hall and enter the dojo with a few Daughters in hot pursuit.

Misty runs past a punching bag and shoves it, striking one of them in the face. She then delivers a flying knee that takes her out. Colleen makes it to the bamboo sword against the wall and turns, slapping it against the forehead of a Daughter before swiping it across her face. Another Daughter attacks, bringing her sword down and chopping the bamboo stick in half, but Colleen drops into a sweep-kick, taking the legs out from under her and as she begins to rise, she uses what's left of the bamboo sword to knock her out.

In the living room, Orson sidesteps a swinging blade, slams his forearm into the stomach of his attacker to make her double-over, then hurls her into a second one. Danny takes one out with a palm thrust, then reaches back to elbow another. "Are they after me or you?," he asks. "Me," Orson replies as he catches the sword-arm of a Daughter before headbutting her, "But they probably don't care too much for you, either." One of the Daughters leaps in front of Danny with a long spear and twirls it overhead before taking a thrusting stance. Danny pivots back on one foot and summons the Iron Fist. Undaunted, the Daughter flies forward and Danny does likewise. As the spear is thrust toward him, he strikes, slamming his fist against the tip. It all happens in a split-second: the blade bends before shattering completely, and then sends a shockwave along the spear, ripping it to splinters until it reaches the Daughter at which point, the force of the explosion sends her flying back where she ends up hitting two of her allies, knocking them over. With his opponents out of the way, Danny turns and races for the dojo. Orson begins to follow but he's kicked to the ground by a Daughter. Once he is on his back, he has to roll to the side to avoid being skewered by a sword. He stands on the palms of his hands and gives a spinning kick to her before standing up, "I'm getting too old for this," he mutters.

In the dojo, two Daughters have Misty cornered while Colleen rushes to her rescue, only to have a third pop out of nowhere and hold her at bay with a knife to her throat. Danny races inside and leaps into the air, performing a split-kick between the first two Daughters. The third takes her attention away from Colleen and throws the knife across the room, but Orson catches the blade at the hilt. He summons his own Iron Fist and the energy is soon transferred into the knife. From there, he tosses it to the floor, causing a small explosion that's just big enough to send the Daughter flailing against the wall.

"What the hell was that?," Danny asks.

"Like I said, there's a lot about the Iron Fist you don't know," Orson tells him as he catches his breath.

Misty wraps her arms around Danny, "Thanks, baby." He holds her and kisses her, not seeing the Daughter rising off the floor below them. She quickly pulls a small razor out of her wrist band, just in time for Misty to spot her, "Danny, look out!". Danny pulls Misty away to protect her but ends up getting sliced across the shoulder for his troubles. Before she can press the attack or Dany can retaliate, she disappears in a dark cloud of black smoke and a strange gust of wind. Danny and Misty stare curiously, only to see the unconscious Daughters disappear around the dojo in similar clouds of smoke. In the living room, the remaining Daughters also disappear in rapid succession.

"What were those things?," Danny asks.

"It's probably a good idea to get out of here first," Colleen tells him, "Whatever they are, they know where you live. We need to go. Orson can explain on the way."

"No way," Misty says, "When zombie ninjas crash through your front door, you're owed a pretty immediate explanation."

"Colleen's right," says Danny, "Those things will probably be back. We need to stay on the move."

"I'm afraid someone will eventually find us," Orson tells him, "But we can at least make it difficult for them. Is there a place we can hide out?"

"We have an office," Colleen explains, "We can stay there."

Moments later, they drive through New York. Colleen is at the wheel, Danny is in the front seat, while Misty and Orson are in the back. "So where was I?," Orson asks. "Zombie ninjas and something about a tournament," Misty answers.

"The Tournament of the Immortal Weapons. It's a fighting tournament held once every 88 years. It's between the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven… One of which is K'un Lun."

"So there are other mystical cities out there?," Danny asks.

"Yes. They all have their own champions, too. They're called the Immortal Weapons. Anyone who has the power of the Iron Fist is the champion for K'un Lun."

"Wait, you mean Danny's involved in a tournament he knows nothing about?," Colleen asks.

"Yep, like it or not, the Iron Fist is considered an Immortal Weapon. Since Danny is the latest user of the Iron Fist, it means he has to take part in the tournament."

"Lei Kung never told me about any of this," Danny says quietly.

"The rulers of the Seven Cities aren't the most upfront people in the world."

"What's this tournament for?," Misty asks, "These people all live in magical kingdoms. I'm sure they have better things to do."

"When the cities are alligned, the cities merge with the Earth to create what's called the Heart of Heaven. There, they have the chance to compete in the tournament and the winner gets to come back every decade. The losers have to wait for fifty years before they return to Earth. As you know, K'un Lun has been appearing regularly every ten years for a while now."

"I guess they have a winning streak?," Danny asks.

"Except for the last tournament," Orson explains as he recounts his past one more time, "It didn't happen."

_The young Orson stands in the Heart of Heaven alongside the king and adult prince. He is wearing a costume identical to Danny's, and has the Mark of Shao-Lou on his bare chest. _

_"Not long after I left K'un Lun, I was brought back for this tournament."_

_He pulls off his mask as someone approaches. __A tall, thin woman with long, white hair and grey skin stands before him, surrounded by the Daughters of Crane Mother and a mad in a black costume complete with a full face mask._

"_Crane Mother is the ruler of K'un Zi, one of the Seven Cities," Orson narrates, "She was eager for the tournament to begin."_

_The young Orson shakes his head and turns away from her._

"_I refused. I left K'un Lun behind and saw no point in getting involved in other epoples' fights."_

_The Crane Mother grits her rotted teeth angrily as she watches him go._

"_The Crane Mother was not too happy about that. Without all seven champions, the tournament could not happen."_

_Crane Mother, the king of K'un Lun, and five other royals sit around a table, discussing the situation. Crane Mother seems much more upset than the others._

_"The rulers of the Seven Cities debated what to do with me. It was eventually decided that I shoudl be forced to compete."_

_The Young Orson crawls through a sewer grate, entering into the desert._

_"I escaped before they could force me to do anything."_

_Now on Earth, Orson finds himself surrounded on a mountaintop by Daughters of the Crane Mother. He begins to kick and punch as they advance._

"Crane Mother_ sent her Daughters to kill me. She even sent her own Immortal Weapon..."_

_The large man in the black costume approaches. His body emits a strange violet glow as he prepares for an attack._

_"... the champion of K'un Zi."_

_Orson ignites the Iron Fist and attacks in a blinding flash of light._

_"I killed him."_

In the present, Orson concludes his story, "I ended up laying low in Thailand for years. It wasn't until I sensed your presence that I decided to seek you out."

"You can do that?," Danny asks.

"Yep. You'll learn how to lock onto chi energy soon enough. That's how they keep finding us."

"Is there anyone else after us?"

"Just one."

As the car drives down the street, a green mist quickly follows.


	6. Chapter 6

In a dark, stone lain room, a silhouetted figure sits on a metal throne while a pillar of light shines in the center, creating the only source. The figure sits silently as if anticipating something and soon, several puffs of black smoke explode in the center; the Daughters of Crane Mother kneel as they appear. The figure rises and steps into the light, revealing Crane Mother. She hasn't aged since Orson Randall was a young man (not that she ever looked youthful).

"Is Orson Randall dead?," she asks with a hissing voice.

"No, Crane Mother," One of the Daughters answers, "We failed again. Our apologies."

"What of the man who now has the power of the Iron Fist?"

"Daniel Rand is alive and quite formidable."

"Hopefully, he'll know enough to be involved in the tournament," she gnashes her teeth, "Do you have anything else for me?"

One of the Daughters rises, steps forward, and produces a bloodied razor, the same one used to cut Danny. She lays it on the floor in front of Crane Mother, and returns to her kneeling position with the others. Crane Mother picks the blade up and examines it, "Interesting."

At Knightwing LTD., Danny, Orson, Misty, and Colleen sit in the office. Orson opens his bag and removes the book, "Now's as good as any time to show you this."

"What is it?"

"The Book of the Iron Fist. I was given it as a sort of going away present when I left K'un Lun."

Danny opens it, revealing dusty, brown, blank pages. "There's nothing in it," Colleen says.

"Why don't you take a look, Danny?," Orson tells him with a smile, "See what you can make of it."

Danny looks at the pages and symbols begin to appear from his point of view, "These are instructions on how to use the Iron Fist."

"You see something?," Misty asks curiously.

"Apparently."

"Danny and I are currently the only people alive who can read it. You have to be empowered by the Heart of Shou-Lao to know what it says."

"The Iron Fist has the power to heal?," Danny says aloud as he reads.

"It comes in handy sometimes."

"I'll have to learn it."

"There's a lot more for you to learn."

Suddenly, a green fog flashes across the window. "Uh, anyone else see green smoke flying past?," Misty asks. Orson shoves the book back in his bag, "Yeah, it's time to go again." Colleen grabs the katana from her wall and Misty pulls the magnum from her desk drawer, then they rush out of the office and into the lobby downstairs. "Are the Daughters back?," Danny asks. "No, this one... is much worse," Orson answers. The double-doors to the lobby fly open and the Green Mist hovers in, partially turned into green fog before solidifying to come in for a landing.

"Who's this guy?," Danny asks.

"He's John Aman, The Green Mist of Death."

"Of course he is," Misty says as she rolls her eyes.

"I've only come for him," Green Mist says as he points to Orson.

"Well, he's with friends now, so I guess you'll just have to go through us first," Danny unleashes the Iron Fist and Orson follows suit as they stand back to back, both their fists burning with chi energy.

"You are the new champion of K'un Lun, aren't you?," Green Mist tells him, "You'd be wise to stand down."

"Doing wise things isn't one of my virtues," he and Orson fly forward and attack with their Iron Fists. Green Mist turns into fog just in time for the two to strike, creating a wide burst of energy that hurls the fog back through the doors, shattering them. Green Mist materializes and drops out of the air, onto the empty street. He lays on his back and stirs as the others rush outside.

"I'm gonna need that gun," Orson tells Misty.

"What do you need a gun for?," she asks, "I'm the one without magic kung-fu powers."

"He's not after you. Trust me."

"Fine, but don't waste bullets," she hands her magnum to him.

"I only need one."

Danny circles around the Green Mist as he picks himself off the pavement. "You are the current user of the Iron Fist," Green Mist says aloud as he examines the dragon tattoo on his chest. "That's right. We stick together... Or at least I think we do. He's kind of the only other person I know who has it." Danny tries to punch the Green Mist but he turns to fog, allowing Danny's hand to pass right through him, then shifts to the side. "Oh, that's not fair," Danny grumbles just before Green Mist delivers a smoke-fueled back-flip kick that sends him into the air. "We can finish this later in the Tournament of the Immortal Weapons," he tells him as Danny picks himself up.

Orson stands at the top of the steps and aims Misty's gun. His fist slowly begins to glow but the Green Mist wastes no time and flies up to him, wrapping around him in a mini-tornado, then spinning him into the air. Orson lands on the pavement and the gun falls a few feet away. Misty and Colleen both leap in front of him as he advances, Colleen with her sword ready. "This is not your fight," he tells them. "The hell it isn't," Colleen sneers. Then Danny leaps forward and tackles him to the ground. "Not so tough when you're not a cloud," Danny tells him and raises a fist. The Green Mist brings a leg up, kicking Danny in the back, then the two roll along the pavement until he tosses him off. Orson, meanwhile, scrambles for Misty's gun and snatches it off the ground. He channels the Iron Fist and soon, the gun glows as well. The Green Mist rises to his feet and turns in time to see Orson fire a shot. He turns to mist and flies back but the bullet explodes, dissipating him across the street.

"Is he dead?," Danny asks.

"He'll come back... always does."

"I know you've been explaining this stuff to us all night," Danny begins, "But -"

"You wanna know about the Green Mist," Orson smiles, "He's one of the Immortal Weapons. The champion of Z'Gambo. After I pissed off Crane Mother and killed her champion, she contacted the Green Mist. She told him I murdered him in cold blood. He has sought to bring me to justice ever since."

"He's an Immortal Weapon. He's involved in the tournament too, then."

"Afraid so. you haven't seen the last of him."

"This is getting confusing," Misty says.

"Tell me about it, I've lived with it for decades," Orson laughs.

"We need to stay on the move," Danny takes out his cellphone, "I'll let the board know I'm staying off the grid for a few days on a personal trip. I'm due for some vacation time anyway."

"What about Luke Cage?," Colleen asks, "We could use the muscle."

"Bringing any more people into this is a bad idea. I'll let him know we're leaving for a while but I don't want him to have to worry about ninjas busting through his front door."

"What's the next move?," Misty asks.

"Looks like I'm involved in this tournament whether I want to be or not," Danny tells her, "I need to see this thing through."

"Danny, you don't have to do this. You have nothing to do with this stupid tournament."

"Apparently, I do. If tonight is anything to go by, things will only get worse if I refuse."

"He's right," Orson tells them, "He has more to lose if he refuses. Trust me."

"I have to see this to the end," he places his hands on Misty's shoulders.

"Okay," Misty says, "I understand."

"So it's decided," Orson claps his hands, "We need to contact Lei Kung. Danny, I suggest we find some place quiet so you can meditate."


	7. Chapter 7

A green trail of smoke sinks into a nearby alley and soon turns into the Green Mist, who leans against the wall and slams his fist against it in frustration. A strange black mist emerges from the shadows on the far wall and creep into the air as Green Mist watches. Soon, a shadowy face appears and speaks to him, "John Aman, as the Immortal Weapon of Z'Gumbo, you are summoned to the Heart of Heaven. The cities are nearly in alignment."

"I have found Orson Randall," he tells him, "I am so close -"

"Your personal quest can wait. There are more pressing duties to attend to."

He nods in agreement and disappears into the shadows.

**The Undercity**

On an empty road lined with several derelict building, packs of wolves and stray dogs gather together along with orphans. Inside one of the derelict buildings, a young man in Chinese armor kneels over an older man in bed.

"I don't have much longer but the tournament will begin soon," the old man tells him, "You are my successor. You will be the champion for our kingdom."

"I haven't taken the mantle of Dog Brother #1 just yet," he says with a bittersweet smile, "You have plenty of time left."

"We both know that isn't true," the old man tells him, "You have a name now and that name is Dog Brother #1. You are an Immortal Weapon. That name and title is no longer mine. Neither is my life."

"No...," the young man begins to tear up.

"Be strong. You know what you must do."

Dog Brother begins to weep bitterly and the old man lays a hand on his head. "It is the only way," the old man whispers. With new resolve, Dog Brother rises to his feet, a single tear still running down his cheek. He takes the sword out of its scabbard and raises it above his head while the old man closes his eyes. Outside, the wolves howl in mourning and the orphans silently turn toward the doorway.

**Tiger Island**

On a distant island, a beautiful woman dressed in red straps a golden mask that only covers the lower half of her face squares off with two female warriors wearing similar costumes. She takes a stance as she holds twin golden fans with needles on them. The women wait until she nods for confirmation, then attack simultaneously. She makes a vertical leap, taking one out immediately. The other strikes but she catches her forearm and holds the bladed fan against her neck. "Your mother would be very impressed, Li Hua," an older man approaches wearing old armor. Hua removes her mask and smiles, "Thank you,father."

"The tournament will start soon," he tells her, "Are you prepared to be our champion?"

"I will not disappoint you."

**Peng Li**

Steam rises in a sauna. A trio of women move through the water and attend a large Asian man with multiple characters along his torso. He smiles at them, "Ladies, I've had a long day so you'll forgive me if I can only entertain three of you tonight." They laugh as they begin to wash him.

"Fat Cobra, is it true you are as fast as you are large?," one of the women asks.

"I'm faster," he tells her cheerfully.

Another woman jiggles his belly playfully, "I doubt you can move this very fast or very far."

"I assure you I'm fast," he says as he throws his arm around her, "But I know the importance of enjoying life. That requires a slow patience few men posses."

A woman in white robes enters the sauna, "Fat Cobra, I have a message for you from our lord."

"Yes, yes," he says as he waves her off, "The tournament is coming soon. I'm well aware of that," he turns to the women in the sauna, "Now, who wants wine?"

**The Entrance To The Kingdom of Spiders, Nepal**

An ancient gate stands in the middle of a field in Nepal. There are some sections of stone floors and ruins, indicating a large structure but it is mostly gone now. A single spider crawls over a section of rock and makes its way to the gateway. Inside the gate, the air ripples and a pair of black high-heeled boots step out. A pale hand reaches down and scoops the spider up. The figure appears to be a young, pale woman in a black, gothic dress with her dark hair pulled up in two buns. She puts her ear next to the spider as if listening.

"The Bride of Nine Spiders is summoned for another tournament?," she says to the spider with a smile, "Ah, good. I was getting bored."

**K'un Zi**

Crane Mother sits on her throne; in front of her is the bloody dagger on a pedestal with two of her Daughters on either side. "The champion of K'un Zi was killed by Orson Randall years ago," Crane Mother says, "So in his place, a new champion will emerge. The blood on this dagger contains the essence of one who was destroyed by the Iron Fist. When we meet Daniel Rand, he will provide the means to create a new champion."

**K'un Lun**

Lei Kung sits in a darkened room, meditating with candles surrounding him. He breathes heavily as he concentrates, gradually extending his consciousness between worlds. Back in New York, Danny sits in the middle of an abandoned warehouse, also meditating. It is morning now. Misty and Colleen come through the entrance, sporting new clothes. "It was good to finally get out of that workout gear," Misty begins but Orson, who is standing nearby, quickly brings his finger to his lips. "Still meditating," Colleen whispers to her. "I can see that," she whispers back. Suddenly, Danny's eyes snap open and from his point of view, he can see through the abyss and into K'un Lun where he sees Lei Kung. It is now as if they are sitting across from one another.

"Daniel Rand-K'ai," Lei Kung begins, "I'm glad to finally reach you."

"Master Lei Kung, what's happening?"

"The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven are aligning."

"Once they align, the Heart of Heaven will appear."

"How did you know this?"

"I'm here with Orson Randall."

"He's still alive?"

"Why didn't you tell me about the Immortal Weapons?"

"I cannot maintain this connection for long."

"There's so much I didn't know until now."

"I can explain further once you get here."

"To K'un Lun? I can't."

"No, The Heart of Heaven."

"Wait -"

"I will relay the information to you. The Earthly entrance to the city will appear in the desert. You must come quickly so the tournament may begin."

Danny's head snaps back and his mind is flooded with images of a desert, the void, the various cities, and finally, the Heart of Heaven appearing in the middle of a desert. He falls forward and Colleen and Misty rush to his side. "Danny, are you okay?," Misty asks. He looks up at her with a pained expression, "We have to go to Asia."


	8. Chapter 8

"Asia?," Misty asks as she stands up, "Why are we going to Asia?"

"The entrance to the Heart of Heaven will appear there," Orson explains, "The Gobi Desert, in fact."

"That's a huge desert," Colleen explains, "City or not, it'll be hard to find anything there."

"Lei Kung sent me a vision," Danny continues, "I know exactly where to go. I can charter a private plane and be there by tomorrow night."

"You're not doing this alone," Misty tells him.

"Apparently, I have to," he tells her, "I'm an Immortal Weapon, whatever that means. If I don't, I'll be hunted down for the next few decades like Orson... No offense."

"None taken. I wouldn't want to end up like me, either."

"Besides, it's just a fighting tournament. How dangerous can it really be?"

"Danny, you know it's useless to argue with us about this, right?," Colleen tells him.

"I figured I would give it a shot."

"I might as well go with you," Orson tells him, "The whole reason why I came all the way here was to get you ready for this."

"There's no love lost between you and these people, Orson. They won't be happy to see you."

"What else is new?"

"It's settled then. We have a plane to catch. Get your passports ready."

**The Gobi Desert**

Everything is quiet. The wind kicks up some sand but otherwise, nothing is happening.

In the Undercity, Dog Brother #1 sits with his pack of wolves silently. The wolves all turn in unison and look in the same direction. "Is it happening already?," he asks them. One of the wolves whines in response. The buildings all begin to shift and warp as a different set of buildings take their space. Lei Kung steps onto the balcony of his temple and witnesses the buildings below get overtaken by rapidly approaching trees. Hua watches the waves off the coast of her island and sees the horizon shift as buildings begin to emerge. Likewise, Fat Cobra sees his cost change into a mountain range. Back in the Gobi Desert, a stream of water runs along the dry sand. An empty street in K'un Lun changes to a dark street with twisted architecture and the Bride of Nine Spiders appears, following its path with a swarm of spiders. The wind kicks up in the Gobi Desert and as the sand blows around, tall spires appear. The stream of water turns into a small coastline. Crane Mother steps out onto her balcony and sees the skyline change. The Green Mist of Death walks through the desert and looks up as a partial mountain appears alongside an oasis-like city that doesn't seem to fully exist in this realm with the exception of the front gate, which looks very solid. He approaches it.

On the other side of the globe, a private jet flies through the air. Inside the cabin, Colleen sits in her seat along with her sheathed sword, Orson rests a few seats ahead and Danny sits alongside Misty. "Knowing a millionaire has its perks," Colleen says with a smile as she holds her sword, "With this private jet, I don't have to deal with customs as much. Thanks, Danny." He looks up from the Book of the Iron Fist, "No problem," he looks back down at the book, "I really have to learn this healing technique. It's really amazing stuff." Misty nods and gets up, "I'm gonna go see how Orson's doing." Orson Randall sits with his seat back and relaxes until Misty sits in the empty seat beside him, ¨Hey.¨

¨Hey. Thanks for the private jet. Beats riding commercial.¨

"Danny's pretty generous."

"You two been together long?"

"I'm one of the first people he met when he came back to Earth."

"I'm sure you've made the experience easier for him."

"I guess... So what's it like having the Iron Fist for so long?"

"Lonely," he says sadly, "The only people I know now are people who want me dead. Everyone else is long gone."

"Really?"

"I'm pushing a hundred. It's to be expected."

¨Danny's going to out live me, isn't he?¨

"It's either that or he dies young, unfortunately. It seems to be the nature of having this power. You're never free from trouble."

"But Danny doesn't really like getting involved in all this craziness. Despite all appearances, he's pretty normal."

"I'm sure he wants to be normal, but let me ask you, how successful is he at doing that? How often would you say he just finds himself in trouble whether he sought it out or not?"

"A lot, honestly. He's part of this other world I just can't understand. Somewhere, somehow, there's always someone wanting to kill him."

"That's our fate," Orson gives her a bittersweet smile. She remains silent.

Fat Cobra strolls through the street alongside several women while eating a large turkey leg. He takes a bite and tosses what's left to a nearby dog sniffing at the ground. Dog Brother #1 stoops down next to the dog and pets it as other dogs and wolves join him.

"You shouldn't spends so much time with stray dogs," he tells him as he passes, "Soon, you'll stink just as much as they do."

"It'll be no worse than you," Dog Brother shouts back.

Fat Cobra stops and turns around, "I recognize you," he says, "You're called Dog Brother #1, aren't you?"

"I am now."

He smiles, "I am Fat Cobra. I've met some of your predecessors," he bows, "I look forward to our match."

"I look forward to teaching you some manners."

Hua sits on a cliff, overlooking a sea. A single spider crawls along the ground and climbs up on her lap. She looks down and notices it but does not move. She only lets the spider crawl onto her palm, lowers it on her opposite side, and lets it go. The Bride of Nine Spiders stands behind her and croutches down.

"You are the Tiger, yes?," Bride asks.

"My mother was the Tiger. My full title is The Tiger's Beautiful Daughter," she tells her, "My name is Hua."

"I am the Bride of Nine Spiders," she says as she picks the spider off the grounf, "I admire your patience with my children."

"I have patience with them now. If you send them to attack me during the tournament, it will be a different matter for them and for you."

The Bride frowns and moves along.

The next day, Danny and the others leave the airport. "There should be a post office nearby," Orson tells them, "I have something to pick up. Danny, would you like to join me?" Danny leaves with him, "Sure." Misty and Colleen stay behind.

"What the hell are we doing here, Colleen?," Misty asks.

"Waiting for the guys to get back?"

"You know what I mean. We just hopped on a plane to go around the world so we can watch Danny fight people from other worlds... That's not normal."

"I gave up on normal a long time ago."

"Yeah, well, I've been thinking that I might be too normal."

"What do you mean?"

"Danny has all these weird powers and goes on these crazy adventures. What am I? Just a private invesitgator from New York. Let's face it, compared to Danny, I'm boring."

"I know he doesn't see it that way."

"Maybe he doesn't, but it's true. I can't begin to understand some of the things he's been through. He's part of a world I don't belong to and never will. From all indications, his life will just keep getting weirder."

"And you'll be there to bring him back to Earth," she puts her arms around her, "He needs you and he knows it. He wants that sense of normalcy and if he didn't have it, he'd probably go crazy. You matter to him more than you know."

"I hope so."

At the nearby post office, Orson takes a package from the counter and thanks the clerk before going outside to meet Danny. "Hold this," he hands the box to Danny and begins to open it. Danny takes a look inside and asks, "Are those what I think they are?".

Orsons pulls out two .45's and quickly holsters them under his jacket, "Yep. Airport customs tend to frown on bringing these babies on planes, so I had them mailed. I knew I'd probably have to end up coming back this way."

"I don't think I'll ever train with long range weapons. Not my style."

"If your enemy is too far away to punch, you might feel differently," Orson pats him on the shoulder and they continue on.


	9. Chapter 9

Meanwhile, in the Heart of Heaven, Crane Mother looks out her temple window at the varied landscape. The doors to her chamber are opened by two of her daughters and the Green Mist of Death walks in, bowing to one knee.

"John Aman," Crane Mother greets him, "How long has it been? Fifty years at least."

"I came here to apologize, Crane Mother," Green Mist says proudly, "I was charged to bring Orson Randall to justice and I've failed."

Crane Mother walks over to her pedestal where the bloody dagger still lays, "It's of no importance. I will have a new champion soon."

Green Mists stands to his feet, "But -"

"I no longer hold you to the task of killing Orson Randall," she waves a hand at him, "You are free to go."

Green Mist looks at her curiously, then disappears.

Hours later, an SUV drives down a country road in the middle of an arid landscape. Inside, Danny has the wheel while Orson navigates with a map. Colleen and Misty sleep on each others' shoulder in the backseat. "If I remember correctly, this road will wrap around a valley at which point, we need to go off-road and hope no cops see us," Orson tells him.

"I saw this place in my vision but what's it like in person?," Danny asks.

"I mostly remember escaping it," he tells him with a smile, "I pissed a lot of people off when I refused to take part in the tournament. I decided to forget leaving gracefully out the front gates and opted to leave through the sewers. I found a passageway leading to the outside and just took off."

"So why did you leave?"

"It wasn't my fight. My life had been weird enough. I just needed to try to get things back to normal."

"Guess it never really happened, huh?"

"Nope."

"I think I know the feeling."

"You'll get used to it. You eventually get to a point where you know there will always be people trying to kill you for one reason or another and you just accept it."

"That doesn't give me too much hope for the future."

"Sorry, kid. I'm just a cynical old man. I didn't mean to sound so bleak," he looks at the backseat, "Seems like you have a great gal back there."

He smiles, "Yeah, Misty's great. She keeps me grounded."

"Good. You'll need that."

They drive on through the night and into the desert. Early the next morning, the SUV comes to a stop as the sun comes up. Danny stares through the windshield as the rest of his companions sleep. "Guys," he begins nervously, "... I think we're here." Colleen and Misty begin to wake up and go wide-eyed when they see what's ahead of them. Orson wakes up last and seems less impressed. The Heart of Heaven is revealed in front of them as the morning light shines on it. It's both ominous and beautiful; soon, they are out of the car and approaching the gates.

"So when we go through those gates," Misty begins, "We'll really be entering another world?"

"More or less," Orson answers her, "It's more of a nexus among seven different worlds and our own."

"Yeah, totally didn't get any of that."

"So here we go," Danny stands in front of the gate, "I guess we just... knock?"

"I did," Orson explains, "Felt like an ass doing it, though."

There is a loud CLANG heard from inside and the gate begins to creak. They all stand back as the gates move, pushing the sand back as they go and open just enough to allow a single figure to emerge: a large man clad in black armor from head to toe, including a metal demon mask. He looks at the group and places a single gauntlet on the sword at his side but says nothing.

"Uh, I'm Daniel Rand of K'un Lun. I've been instructed to come here for the Tournament of the Immortal Weapons."

The guard says nothing but instead, steps aside, allowing Danny room to enter. He looks at the others, shrugs, then proceeds. He passes the guard and they follow, but as Orson and the others try to go in, the guard shoves a single palm in their faces. They stop and stare as he shakes his head; Danny turns back to see what the problem is. "I was afraid of this," Orson tells them, "No outsiders." Danny steps back and takes Misty's hand, "I'll be alright. This thing will only last a few days, then I'll be out. In the meantime, go back with Orson." She nods silently. "I love you," he tells her and kisses her. The guard motions toward the gate and Danny steps away, "I'll see you all soon."

"Good luck," Colleen tells him.

"Thanks."

He steps through, turns, and looks at Misty who watches as they close the doors. Danny hangs his head, then continues to a second set of gates, which begin to open. From the inside, two monks open the front gates farther and Danny steps through with the guard following. There, he sees familiar K'un Lun architecture along with dark spires, a lush jungle, and other assorted oddities that conflict with one another. And in the sky: seven moons. Outside the front gates, Colleen and Misty travel back to their SUV along with Orson.

"So how are we gonna find a way inside?," Misty asks.

"What? We're not allowed in," Colleen tells her.

"We came all the way here to leave Danny behind? I don't think so."

"Do you have any idea what they would do to us if they caught us sneaking in?"

"Do you?"

Colleen stops for a moment and then turns to Orson, "What would happen if we're caught?"

"Death, maybe. It depends on how the Council is feeling."

"So,... Maybe not death," Misty tells them.

"Why would you do this, Misty?"

"I told you I don't understand what Danny is going through but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let him go through it alone. Hell, I don't even know how much time we have together. For all we know he'll die in there. I'll die in there with him if need be."

"I do know of a passageway we can use to sneak in," Orson explains.

"You're not helping," Colleen yells at him.

"I've lived long enough to know what sort of stupid things people will do if they're in love. I know she'll try to get in there no matter what we say," he explains, "I might as well help her out so she doesn't get herself killed."

"I can't believe this...," Colleen hesitates for a moment, "I'm in."

"That's what I thought," Misty says with a grin.

Danny is led to a temple by a monk. "Daniel Rand-K'ai," he hears a familiar voice and turns to see Lei Kung. He bows in reverence as the monk leaves his side.

"You never told me about this," he says angrily.

"I was prepared to tell you at the proper time."

"I guess this is the proper time, then," Danny removes the bag from his shoulder, "Orson Randall gave this to me," he shows him the Book of the Iron Fist, "When were you planning to tell em what's in here."

"We expected to train future Iron Fists ourselves. Meanwhile, the book served as a gift. He gave gave my grandfather schooling and we returned the favor. Again,... I was waiting for the proper time."

Danny changes the subject, "There are people after Orson."

"We know all about Crane Mother's attempt at Orson's life. She's been after him for decades."

"What do you plan to do about it?"

"Orson Randall hasn't been a part of K'un Lun since long before even I was born. He has his own destiny."

"You're just going to leave him to die?"

"He was a valuable ally to K'un Lun. We will honor him forever but since he has left us, he is no longer in our care. We expect no less from him."

"What about Crane Mother? She lied and now he's wanted for murder. We met up with some guy called the Green Mist of Death."

"The Crane Mother is more interested in the tournament right now, as is the Green Mist of Death. They are both here and while they are here, they will abide by the laws of the Heart of Heaven," Danny begins to say something but is cut off, "We are likewise expected to abide by the laws here. Do not rush to confront either of them."

"Understood," Danny says reluctantly.

"Daniel," Lei Kung begins sadly, "After you left K'un Lun, my son went out to find you. He was consumed with jealousy and rage. Did he -"

"I met Davos in New York," Danny hangs his head sadly, "I'm... sorry."

Lei Kung nods, "You... did what you had to do, no doubt."

Danny places a comforting hand on his shoulder as they stand in silence.


	10. Chapter 10

Later, Danny is led by Lei Kung to a meeting room. The walls are round and made of stone. In the center is an equally round table.

"The Council and their champions meet here," Lei Kung tells him, "We'll discuss the nature of the tournament and you will get the chance to meet the other Immortal Weapons. Remember, they are your opponents. Now is a good time to study them."

"Think I'll make some new friends today," Danny mutters, "What does this tournament entail?"

"You will fight your opponent once and only registered weapons are allowed. The fight ends when one fighter is unconscious, dead, or otherwise immobile."

"Dead?"

"Don't worry. Purposefully killing your opponent is considered dishonorable."

"Great"

More figures enter from other parts of the room. First, Crane Mother enters with two of her Daughters. "That's Crane Mother, isn't it?," Danny whispers. Crane Mother stops and looks at Danny with a twisted smile, "So you are the new Iron Fist. Does K'un Lun detest its own citizens that they have to look to outsiders as their champions?" A hooded figure enters the room along with the Green Mist of Death, "That's enough Crane Mother. We don't have time for pettiness." They all sit with Danny eyeing the Green Mist. Fat Cobra enters along with equally large men in robes and, as usual, some of his women. Tiger's Beautiful Daughter (wearing a red robe and headdress) is next alongside her father and a few attendants. The Bride of Nine Spiders enters along with a person covered completely in a black veil from head to toe. And finally, Dog Brother #1 and an older man in a similar suit of armor and a few wolves enter the room.

"So we are all here?," Lei Kung asks, "The Council and their Immortal Weapons?"

"No, not all of us" Hua's father announces, "Crane Mother, where is your champion?"

She glances at Danny, "I assure you, I will have one by morning."

The hooded figure with the Green Mist shakes his head, "This is not acceptable! Without seven champions, we cannot hold the tournament. You know this!"

"If you'll remember, my champion was killed by Orson Randall," she looks back at Lei Kung and Danny, "You'll also remember that Orson Randall refused to enter the tournament, and we were unable to continue."

"I'm not going anywhere if that's what you're implying," Danny meets her glare, "You've had the Green Mist doing your dirty work for a while now, maybe he'll be your champion."  
**  
**The Green Mist shoots to his feet but says nothing.

"Will the Immortal Weapons excuse us?," Lei Kung requests politely as he stands up, "We can discuss this matter further in private. Meanwhile, there is a banquet hall just beyond those doors."

"It's about time someone offered me food," Fat Cobra bellows as he makes his way ahead of everyone else.

Danny leans over to Lei Kung, "What's going on?"

"Nothing serious. If Crane Mother presents a champion, then the tournament will begin tomorrow."

"And if she doesn't?"

"It will be postponed again but this time, we will have no responsibility for it."

"That's reassuring."

Danny leaves him behind and goes into the next room. He opens the door and stops once he sees the torso of Fat Cobra in his path, his gaze rising until he meets Fat Cobra's eyes. The sumo-like warrior crosses his arms and continues to glare at him, but says nothing. Danny faces him with raised eyebrows, "Um,... Excuse me?" Fat Cobra continues to stare, a smile spreading across his face before he explodes with laughter and slaps Danny on the shoulder, "I like you!" Danny shakes his head and moves into the banquet hall where notices Green Mist sulking in the corner and keeping to himself, the Tiger's Beautiful Daughter sharpening her fan at another table, Dog Brother feeding some meat to one of his wolves, and Fat Cobra sitting back down with his women and an entire table of food. Danny sits down alone at the far end. Soon, he sees a spider crawling his way and quickly raises a hand to crush it, only to be stopped by a hissing voice, "Don't do that." He stops and turns to see Bride of Nine Spiders sitting on top of the table, "How would you like it if I squashed one of your children?" Danny half-smiles, then moves to the seat next to Dog Brother.

"I'm Dog Brother #1"

"Danny Rand."

"You were orphaned as a boy, weren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

" can tell. I'm from the Undercity. It's the kingdom of lost people."

"Well, I guess... that makes sense," Danny tells him, "So your name's Dog Brother #1. What's with the number? I guess you're the first?"

"Not at all," he says sadly, "There were others before me."

"Oh, it's the same for anyone who has the Iron Fist. Did you meet your predecessor too?"

"Yes,... I had to kill him. It's the only way the mantle can be passed"

"Oh," he responds awkwardly.

Fat Cobra plops down beside them, shoving two goblets of wine their way, "Hello, fellow warriors. I come offering drink!"

"I don't drink," Danny eyes the wine in front of him.

"What sort of man doesn't drink?," Fat Cobra laughs.

"Ignore him," Dog Brother tells him, "Fat Cobra has been around for over a hundred years but has yet to learn any manners."

"I offered you wine, didn't I? Hell, you are both invited to share two of my concubines tonight if you desire."

"No thanks," Danny apologizes again, "I have a girlfriend."

"What kind of man practices monogamy?"

"Maybe he's afraid if he indulges himself too much, he'll grow as fat and as sluggish as you," Dog Brother tells him.

"Fat, I may be, but I am far from sluggish," Fat Cobra gets a rare serious tone, "I assure you, I am the fastest person in this room."

"I'd like to see you prove that claim."

"So I've met the two of you," Danny begins, "And I had the pleasure of meeting the Green Mist of Death over there," he motions toward the Green Mist, "Who's the goth chick?," he motions toward the Bride who plays with spiders at the next table.

"The Bride of Nine Spiders," Fat Cobra mentions, "I think she is even older than me. She doesn't say much about herself."

"And that one?"

"That's Hua," Fat Cobra says as he turns, "Her mother was the champion of her kingdom and called herself the Tiger. So she now refers to herself as The Tiger's Beautiful Daughter," he leans in close, "I don't think she likes men."

"No, I just don't like you," Hua says as she glances his way.

Lei Kung enters the room with the rest of the Council except Crane Mother. The Immortal Weapons rise at attention with Danny being the last to stand. "We have reached a decision," he tells them, "The tournament will commence." Later that night, he Lei Kung walk through a garden together.

"I know this was not your choosing, Daniel," Lei Kung tells him, "I am sorry."

"Even after living in Kún Lun for ten years, I don't understand everything," he hesitates, "Maybe I never will."

"We do admire you, though. I have watched you grow from a boy to a brave and noble man. You have earned the right to be an Immortal Weapon."

"Thank you," he hesitates for a moment and continues, "And once again,... I am sorry for what happened to Davos."

"I do not hold you in contempt for what you did," he says in a hushed tone, "The two of you did not get along but I know that it was not an easy decision to make."

They stop at a small stone house.

"These are your quarters," he tells him, "Perhaps not as grand as your home on Earth."

"No, but believe it or not, I actually prefer this."

"We will contact you in the morning," he leads Danny into the small room which has a mat to sleep on and a single window, "Sleep well."

"Good night," Danny is left alone, so he sits on the floor, pulls the Book of Iron Fist from his bag, and begins studying. As Lei Kung leaves, Crane Mother watches from a dark alley nearby.

Danny studies the Book of the Iron Fist by candlelight. "As the Iron Fist has the power to destroy, it can also heal," he reads aloud. He looks at the small cut still on his shoulder from his fight with Crane Mother's Daughters and sits back, ready to test it out. His right hand produces a faint glow and he lays the tips of his fingers against the cut, then concentrates as the cut begins to fade sightly. His concentration is soon broken by...

"You have formidable powers," Crane Mother tells him as she steps out of the darkness.

"What the...?," Danny leaps to his feet and takes a fighting stance, "You take one more step - ".

"We have rules to follow remember."

"Do those rules involve sneaking into bedrooms?"

"I have something for you to see," she produces the bloody dagger, "Does it look familiar?"

"Yeah, that's the reason I have this cut on my shoulder. It belongs to one of your daughters."

She paces around, studying the dagger, "There is much that can be seen in the blood. Did you know there is another soul inside of you?¨

"That's nice," Danny points to the door, "Leave."

She raises her hands and Danny suddenly finds his arms stretched out and his neck tightened. She turns her palm over and he's lifted through telekinetic force off the ground. He grits his teeth and struggles against it, but it is no use. "Not long ago, a man took the Iron Fist from you," she curls her fingers and he begins to float toward her, "You reclaimed that power and killed him, didn't you?," he stops in front of her, "His body was destroyed but his essence remained inside you due to the bond you shared." Danny struggles to say something as his face changes to an expression of horror and anger. She places her hand against the Mark of Shou-Lao on his chest, "I am sorry but I need a champion if this contest is to begin."

The Mark begins to glow and Danny screams in agony as it gets brighter. Crane Mother smiles sadistically, her face illuminated by a blue glow that gets more intense. She digs her fingers in and seems to pull something invisible out of him. The glow becomes brighter, Danny screams louder, then they are both thrown back by the force, which is strong enough to also put out the candles. There is darkness and silence. Danny remains slumped against the wall as a violet light begins to emerge, illuminating the room. He opens his eyes and looks up in horror as steam rolls along the floor. A naked figure sits crouched in the middle of the room and slowly stands to his feet, his back turned toward Danny. He is a bald, muscular man and as he rises, the steam covers his lower half. Crane Mother grins as she stands. The man turns, revealing the face of Davos who now has a twisted, serpentine scar on his chest. "Hello, Daniel Rand-Kái."


End file.
